Each summer I plan creative ways to keep my students reading and writing, and each year the participation is less than I anticipated. What is it that causes this lack of participation? … Continue reading
At first, pride filled my heart, but as I continued to watch, I realized the work ethics I was watching at that moment hadn’t been as clear nor intentional throughout the year. The day’s show of teamwork could have been the culmination of a year’s work, but I knew it was something more.
Writers grow as they witness writing in their lives. The waiters jotting down orders, medical staff recording on charts, families creating a to-do list, shopping list, planning vacations, messaging family, and friends, composing emails, journaling, and the many other reasons we write in our lives.
Poetry month in my opinion (and my students’) is a celebration of writing! It’s a time when we writers welcome new beginnings and hone the art and crafting of our writing skills. I watch my students take wings and write with grace and confidence during poetry month.
Moving to a learner-driven classroom has changed my role in the classroom and writing workshop. As a teacher in a learner-driven classroom, I have stepped back to observe the learner.
If this is your first time participating in the SOLSC, then this weekend challenge is for you!
To help guide our teaching we needed to know what our kids can do and where they would need our support.
I hope you and your writers are finding the joy and freedom of Slicing! As your writers are writing away, remind them of the value of reading comments and offering comments as… Continue reading
This is the fourth of 31 posts where you will share the permalink to your students’ slice of life stories in (the comments section below) or the permalink to your class hub where we can then access the blogs of your writers.
This is the third of 31 posts where you will share the permalink to your students’ slice of life stories in (the comments section below) or the permalink to your class hub where we can then access the blogs of your writers.
This is the second of 31 posts where you will share the permalink to your students’ slice of life stories in (the comments section below) or the permalink to your class hub where we can then access the blogs of your writers.
This is the first of 31 posts where you will share the permalink to your students’ slice of life stories in (the comments section below) or the permalink to your class hub where we can then access the blogs of your writers.
We realized our students needed to revisit why they are reading and writing in reflection to their current needs as readers and writers. Our work has shifted from the skills of learning to decode, spell, and use conventions to inferring, synthesizing, identifying and applying craft techniques, using voice, and then sharing our synthesized thoughts and stories with others.
I took a deep breath and paused a long pregnant pause. My next words needed to be just right.
Writing is a stalwart act. Through writing, we express ourselves, uncover feelings, tell our stories, organize our schedules, share our beliefs, and change our world. To some students (and even adults) writing can seem like a monumental task and writing may feel cumbersome. But when you think of the necessity of writing in our lives, writing is unavoidable.
With so many (and ever changing) options at our fingertips, I want my students to learn how to control the tools. We have a motto in our room, “If the tool is telling you what to do, you aren’t in charge of your learning. You tell the tool what to do!”
Before we know it, the month of March will be here. March is becoming my favorite month of the year since it brings St. Patrick’s Day, warmer weather, and the Slice of Life Story Challenge… Continue reading
I am not sure where to begin, but I do know I can always do better with my hive!
Finding New Opportunities and Joy: All It Takes Is A Slight Twist
This year presented my family and my teaching life with many changes, and each one took real focus for me. I had the opportunity to make a slight turn turning each into a change blessing or a change obstacle. The difference is in considering the intention.
Melanie asked the students, “What makes you feel like a writer?” Read the voices from the classroom. YOUR writing matters to YOUR students.
